This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(f) of the application for a grant of European Community Plant Breeders Rights which was filed for the instant plant variety on Mar. 9, 2009, Application Number 2009/0419.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hardy garden pink or carnation that is grown for use as a flowering plant for pots and containers and for planting in the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Dianthus×hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘WP09 WEN04’.
‘WP09 WEN04’ is a complex hybrid plant that is the product of a breeding program started by the inventor in 1985. The breeding program is conducted in a cultivated area of Houndspool, Dawlish, Devon, United Kingdom. The inventor selected ‘WP09 WEN04’ in 2004 for its fragrant flowers which are semi-double and predominantly salmon-pink in color, with a carmine colored eye.
‘WP09 WEN04’ resulted from the controlled pollination between two unreleased and unpatented selections of Dianthus from the inventor's breeding program, namely Selection “XIN 02.07” as male parent and Selection “BEL 03.07” as female parent.
‘WP09 WEN04’ is distinguishable from the male parent as follows: The flowers of the male parent are semi-double and magenta in color, with a dark magenta eye, whereas the flowers of ‘WP09 WEN04’ are semi-double and predominantly salmon-pink in color, with a carmine colored eye.
‘WP09 WEN04’ is distinguishable from the female parent as follows: The female plant is vigorous and produces tall plants with long flower stems, typically 30 cm-40 cm in length, whereas the flower stems of ‘WP09 WEN04’ are 15 cm-20 cm in length.
The variety of Dianthus which is considered by the inventor to most closely resemble ‘WP09 WEN04’ is Dianthus ‘Doris’ (unpatented). ‘Doris’ is similarly semi-double and salmon-pink in color. However, ‘Doris’ is a vigorous variety and exhibits greater overall plant size, longer flower stems and larger flowers than ‘WP09 WEN04’.
Asexual reproduction of ‘WP09 WEN04’ was first accomplished by the inventor in 2004 in a cultivated area of Houndspool, United Kingdom. The method of asexual propagation used was vegetative cuttings. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.